A mom created a fairytale dress made of more than 200 fresh flowers she grew herself, as part of her university studies in art and design.
Anita Lee-Archer created the dress on her daughter, Bella, spending around two hours arranging multi-colored dahlias, hand-picked from her garden in Australia.
The mother-of-five is pursuing a fine arts degree at the University of Tasmania at age 48. She decided to go back to college four years ago to pursue her dreams of a career in art.
Now she’s combining another passion—her love of gardening—to create impressive art installations.
To attach the flowers to the dress, she wrapped bird netting tightly around her daughter, Bella, who wore a black slip underneath (see the video at the bottom). She threaded the flowers through the holes, choosing colors from seven buckets of pre-cut blooms.
“It turned out how I wanted it,” said Anita, from Launceston, Tasmania. “It was really fun.”
Anita says she was discouraged from choosing a career in art as a teenager, so instead worked as a nurse and midwife.
“I have always been a creative. But, people always said, ‘you won’t earn any money doing art’.”
But Anita never forgot her love and when they moved to Tasmania she asked her husband, a neurologist, if she could enroll in university. She eagerly started classes in 2020 to finally fulfill her dreams.
“I really want to paint flowers. I breed different varieties and have always been a gardener.
Dahlia flower dress by Anita Lee-Archer / SWNS
“It’s nice to combine my loves. One lecturer told me ‘it’s your work, you need to do what you love’.”
She admitted the dress turned out to be “really heavy” and it was hard to walk in it.
“Initially it was going to be a strapless dress, but I had to fashion straps.”
Anita graduates from her course at the end of this year and wants to continue creating flower-themed art.“My garden has been my solace.”Mom Designs Stunning Dress Made of 210 Fresh Flowers Combining Her Love of Art and Gardening
